Issue date: 9/29/06 Section: Features

This man, supported in his work to rescue slaves in Brazil by Catholic Relief Services, has recived death threats to prevent him from continuing

Five Cabrini College faculty and staff members embarked on a 14- day solidarity journey to Brazil. With the guidance of Cabrini Missionary Sisters and Catholic Relief Services, along with translators due to the Portuguese language barrier, they all traveled to Sao Paulo and the poor interior region of Brazil. Their mission was to learn about the problems of social justice in this country.

The travelers were Dr. Jerry Zurek, professor of English and communication, Dr. Mary Laver, director of applied catholic social teaching, Dr. Adeline Bethany, professor of fine arts, Dr. April Perrymore, assistant professor of psychology and Ann Servey, associate professor of business administration.

While traveling throughout Brazil, the faculty and staff focused on establishing a stronger bond with our Cabrini affiliations located in Sao Paulo. Zurek said, "It was neat to feel a part of a worldwide organization."

Here they spent time and stayed in a convent at Mother Cabrini High School with the Cabrini Missionary Sisters. Perrymore said, "Meeting the Missionary Sisters was special to me. It was heartwarming seeing the Missionary Sisters, spending time with them, also heart breaking due to the social injustices, but it ended with hope."

Traveling to Sao Paulo and the interior near the Amazon, they learned the disturbing facts of how human trafficking works. Brazil, because it is a very poor country, many people will do anything to provide for their families. The way human trafficking works is that rich land owners will lure poor adult males hundreds of miles away from their families with false hopes for a better-paying job. In the end they are never paid for their labor and become indentured to that land owner.

CRS plays a vital role with these social justice problems. They have facilities for run-away indentured slaves to go to. Here they are safe and can hide from their slave owners. These facilities restore the hope of a run-away slave and give them a second chance at life. Here CRS educates these ex-slaves on how to start up a business and teach them how to make tools and supplies so they can sell them to make money.

Continued...

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